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The Psychological Benefits of Chiropractic Treatment

In recent years, more and more medical research has been pointing toward the benefits of chiropractic treatment. People don’t often realize it, but chiropractic is considered a natural form of treatment for any number of physical ailments. Why natural? Because it doesn’t involve harsh drugs or invasive surgery. Often times, someone with a condition such as chronic lower back pain will immediately seek drugs to reduce the symptoms, or surgery to “fix” the problem once and for all.

The problem is that pain medications and muscle relaxers can easily be abused. And when it comes to surgery, fewer things are harder on the body. When surgery is appropriate and it goes well, the results can certainly be magnificent. But on the whole, if surgery can be avoided by seeking alternative (but effective) treatments, this is far preferable. Chiropractic treatment is also natural because it’s based on the idea that the body has powerful mechanisms that allow it to heal itself – it may only be necessary to remove blockages that prevent the body the from reverting to its natural state of health.

Pinched nerves and misalignments in the spine are common causes not only of back pain, but of other ailments throughout the body. That’s because the spinal cord plays such a vital role in overall circulation and health. When something isn’t right in the spine, the body can quickly and easily develop ailments elsewhere. Many people are astonished when they visit a qualified chiropractor and begin to see results in their health – not only for the immediate problem (such as back pain), but for things they didn’t even notice before, such as fatigue or mental blurriness.

But let’s set physical benefits aside for a moment. Are there any psychological benefits to be had from chiropractic treatment? There is a growing body of evidence to suggest the answer is yes. Back in 2014, a study by the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research found that over three quarters of all chiropractic patients experience improvements in their mental and emotional health. Other journals have reported similar findings. The question is, how and why could chiropractics benefit mental health?

It starts with the recognition that body and mind are closely interlinked. Anybody who has lived with chronic pain knows how tiring and mentally afflicting it can be – and when that pain goes away, you feel a lot better psychologically. That’s one reason why chiropractics is good for mental health.

Another reason involves the nervous system. When your spine in particular is not properly, your moods and body chemistry can change. This is because the spine is the center of the body’s nervous system. It can positively or negatively affect virtually any other aspect of the body, including the brain and emotions.

There’s no doubt that as time goes on, the mental benefits of chiropractic treatment will continue to be studied and understood. In the meantime, if you want to experience those benefits for yourself, find a reputable chiropractor in your area and ask whether treatment is right for you.